CANCER cells could be killed by a compound - capsaicin - found naturally in chilli peppers. Eating them raw or in a hot chilli sauce could protect you against symptoms.

Capsaicin, the compound responsible for giving chilli its fiery flavour, is the same found by researchers to destroy cancer cells.

A recent study by Ruhr-University in Germany discovered it could trigger them to self-destruct.

The researchers believe it may help them develop a cure for cancer in the future.

Dr Lea Weber wrote in the journal Breast Cancer: "Capsaicin is capable of inducing apoptosis (cell death) and inhibiting cancer cell growth in many different types of cancer, for example, osteosarcoma, colon, and pancreatic cancer cells, while normal cells remained unharmed.”

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Dr Stuart Farrimond, a food scientist working with Encona, said: “Capsaicin is 150 times more potent than the piperine chemical found in black pepper and despite the perceived pain, no matter how much chilli we eat, the tissue in our mouth isn’t damaged.

“Over time you can build up a tolerance to chilli by teaching your brain that the heat is not dangerous or harmful.”

What’s more, as we get older we lose taste buds, and chilli can actually make food more pleasurable.

Farrimond said: “The sensation we get from eating chillies is separate to our taste buds. This means that even as our sense of taste diminishes from old age, we will continue to experience the burning sensation and buzz chillies deliver.”

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Research by Victoria University in Australia also found it fires up your metabolism.

This means that adding hot chilli to food could promote weight loss.

Unsurprisingly, sales of hot sauces have grown by 7.2 per cent compared to traditional sauces, according to Kantar Worldwide.